Vehicle wheel-rim.



J. H. WAGENHORST.

VEHICLE WHEEL RIM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22I I912.

Patented Nov. 16, I915.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- FIGA,

QR 'vtmcooao J. H. WAGENHORST.

VEHICLE WHEEL RIM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1912.

1 ,1 60,221.. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

331 fiiel bib men MM 52 37 mod E 8 A,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. wAGENIIORsT, ,OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,OE

TwO-EIETIIs To TH E. E. GOOD C COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA--'.I.I01\T OF NEW YORK, ONE-'EIETII' To THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBERCOMPANY, E AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO, AND ONE-PIETII TO THEUNITED sTATEs TIRE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

VEHICLE WHEEL-RIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed April 22, 1912. Serial No. 692,256.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known'that I, JAMEs I-I. WAGEN- HORST, a citizen of the United$tates, residing at Akron, county of Summit, and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in'Vehicle Wheel-Rims, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rims for holding pneumatic or other resilienttires. In one I type pf rims ofthis class it is a practice to make oneof the tire-retaining flanges removable so as to facilitate theapplication and removal of the tire, .and particularly so as to permitthe use of quick-detachable tires; that is, tires provided w1thinextensplit and provided with lugs at its ends,

passing through a slot in the rim base, looking devices being providedfor securing these lugs in position and retaining the flange upon therim base.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an mprovedformof the look ing device shown in this patent, all of the parts-making upthe locking devices onlooking clamp being permanently, secured togetherso that they may be removed and re-" placed as a.unit Without danger ofany of the parts being lost.

- Another object of my invention is to provide an improved demountablerim structure in which the rim carrying the tire is capable ofbeingmounted upon a wheel felly or fixed rim ,and firmly secured theretoand of being quickly removed from the wheel and replaced by a duplicaterim carrying another tire. The specific improvement shown isparticularly applicable to the securing of rims upon wire wheels.

Other Objects of my invention will appear from the following descriptionthereof.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecificationFigure 1 is a side elevation of a portion [of a wire wheel showing myimproved lgim; applied thereto,'and a portion of a tirefcarried by therim. Fi 2 .is a' transverse section through the tire, rim and tellymember or fixed rim, on the line II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversesection through the tire and rim, removed from the felly member, theposition of the section being indicated by the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the fixed rim or felly memberwith the tire and tire-carrying rim removed, and showing one of theattaching screws withdrawn to inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a planview of a portion of theftire-carrying rim showing the split detachableflange removed from its seat and the locking clamp also removed. Fig; 6is a perspective view of the locking clamp.v Fig. 7 is a transversesection through the the same engaged I looking clamp, showin with thelugs on the en s of the split flange preparatory to screwing up theclamp. This figure .also shows the tire retaining flange,

and a portion of the rim base and tire in v section, the rim base beingshown as per manently mounted" upon a wooden wheel felly. Thevsection ofFig. 7 is taken on line VII-VII. of Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a slde elevationof the parts shown in Fig. 7, the cap member and nut being shown invertical section. Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Figs. 7 and 8,respectively, showing the nut screwed up and the cap member engaging thelugs on the ends of the split flange; Fig. 11 is a plan view of aportion of the rim base and of the lockin clamp, the split flange beingremoved an its lugs being shown in section engaged by the clamp.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the fellymember or fixed rim of a vehicle wheel provided with wire spokes 2. Asshown in Figs. 2 and 4, the felly member. is in the form of 9. rolledsheet metal channel, having flanges at each edge thereof, the flange 3"at one edge being preferably higher than the flange 4 at the Theseflanges are preferably other edge.

surfaces bent over to form beveled bearing 5 and '6 for engagement withthe tire-carrying. rim. An angular ofiset is preferably rolled in thebottom of the channel, the

steeper wall 7 of this ofiset being perforated The tire-carrying rim to,be used upon this felly member may be of any suitable construction,provided with seats adapted to engage the beveled surfaces 5 and 6 ofthe felly member, and having some form ofabutment against which the.ends of the 4 screws 8 may press to secure the rim upon the fellymember. The tire-carrying rim is preferably, but not necessarilyprovided with a removable tire retaining flange which maybe secured inposition in any suitable manner, as for example by means'of the improvedlocking clamp illustrated. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3- and 5, thetire-carrying rim comprises a rim base 9 having depressed portions 10and 11 rolled therein, preferably without thickening-the metal of therim base, so that the rim may be formed cold from fiat stock. The innersurfaces of the depressed portions of the rim form inclined bearingsurfaces 12 and 13, which engage the inclined bearing surfaces 5 and 6,respectively. The wall 14 of the depressed portion 10' of the rim, formsan abutment against which the ends of the screws 8 press,

the screws 8 thus serving to wedge the rim in position upon the fellymember or fixed rim and retain it in such position. Fig. 2 shows one ofthe screws 8 in operative position, while Fig. 4: shows the screwwithdrawn. It will be seen that, owing to the inclination of the screws,by unscrewing them a few turns into the position shown in Fig.

4, the ends of the screws will be withdrawn below the level of thesupporting surfaces of the felly member,and thus permit the tirecarryingrim to be removed from the wheel.

The screws 8 are preferably given a comparatively steep inclination sothat they 'will'nothaveyto be withdrawn very far before clearing therim. If this inclination is sufficiently great, particularly if theinclination of the screws is greater than that of the bearing'surfacesof the fixed rim or felly band, the screws will not only force the rimlaterally upon the wheel, thus causing the inclined surfaces 12 and 13to wedge upon the inclined surfaces 5 and 6, but the screws may alsotend to lift the rim slightly, thus forcing it away from the surfaces 5-and 6.

" Such action is in no way objectionable, but

rather advantageous, as the lifting of the rim opposite the screws willcause it to be 1 22, 1911, Serial Number 639,953, and the rim base maybe provided with an integral, or any other form of tire-retaining flangedesired. In order to provide the rim with a flush tire-seating surface,the depression 10 maybe covered by a band 18, which is preferably formedof an endless strip of metal, shrunk into shallow recesses 19 formed atthe sides of the depression 10 to receive the edges of the band.

As above stated, the rim is preferablv provided with a removabletire-retaining flange, this flange in the form of my inventionillustrated, being transversely split at the point 20. This flange,which is designated by the numeral 21, is provided with a base 22 whichis received in a channel in the rim. This channel is preferably formedby carrying the rim base beyond thedepression 11 to provide acylindrical'seat 23 and a vertical retaining flange 24. In order tocover the depression 11 and provide a smooth seating surface for thetire, a band 25 is used,

this band having a. vertical leg 26 which seats in a recess 27 formed byoffsetting the rim base, the side of this vertical leg 26 completing thechannel for the reception of the base 22 of the flange 21. The band 25is preferably shrunk into position in the same way as the band 18, theedge of the cylindrical portion of the band being received in theshallow recess 28.

i The flange 21 is reversible and may be of practically the sameconstruction as the split tire-retaining flange shown in the patent toBryant above referred to. I prefer, however, to form in that side of theflangedesigned to engage a straight-sided tire, an annular groove 29. Ihave found that the formation ofsuch a groove in this face ofthe flangein no way interferes with the satisfactory retaining of a straight-sidedtire, while the amount of metal removed by the formation of such agroove is suflicient to result in a material reduction inweight of therim. The flange 21 is provided at its ends with lugs 30 which projectthrough a slot 31 cut in the channel portion of the rim, such slot beingclearly illustrated in Fig. 5. It preferably has one end Wall, 32,formed at right angles to the edge of the rim, the other end wall 33being inclined or beveled.

' In applying the flan e to the rim, one of the lugs 30 is placedagainst the wall-32'and.

the base 22 of the flan e pressed into the channel, the beveled wal 33serving to guide the lug 30 at the opposite end ofthe flange intoposition, and to draw the ends of the flange toward each other.. Asmalllug 34 1s preferably provided on a line with the bottom of the channel,to engage the first lug 30 and prevent the same from slipping away fromthe wall 32 of the slot.

For securing the lugs 30 together and to the rim, and thus holdingthejsplit tire-retaining flange in position upon the rim, I prefer touse the improved locking clamp shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and in greaterdetail in Figs. 6 to 11. The same clamp is illustrated in all thesefigures, although in Figs. 6 to 11 it is shown in connection with a rimpermanently mounted upon the'felly of a wooden wheel. Such mounting ofthe T1111, however, in no way modifies the operai tion of the lockingclamp.

Referring particularly to Figs.- 8 and 10, it will be seen that the lugsare provided with recesses and 36 which combine to provide a recess forthe reception of the T- head 37 of theT-headed bolt 38 which forms apart of the locking clamp. The stem 39 of this bolt projects betw-eenthe hooked por: tions 40 of thelugs 30, which extend below the head 37of the bolt. The end of the stem of the boltprojects through anopening'41 in a'cap 42 inwhich are'received the lugs 30. It will benoted that the outer walls 43 of the lugs 30 are inclined, the inner endwalls 44 of the cap 42 being similarly inclined so that when the cap isscrewed up it will wedge the lugs 30 together and thus draw the splitflange tight upon its seat. The cap .is drawn intoposition and thiswedging action secured by means of a nut '45 which screws on the stem ofthe bolt 38 and engages the cap 42.- Figs. 9 and 10 show this nutscrewed up, the cap being forced into Wedging engagement with the lugs30 and the ends of the split flange 21 being drawn into contact. Thegeneral form of this locking device is illustrated in the patent toBryant above referred to. My present improvement conslsts in securingall the parts .of this. locking device or clamp together so as toprevent the loss of any part. I accomplish this by swiveling the nut 45to the cap 42 and by connecting theT-headed bolt 38 to the cap in such away as to permit a limited reciprocating movement of the .bolt withrespect to the cap. Inthe specific form of my invention illustrated, thenutis secured to the cap by forming a neck 46 on the nut, this neckterminating in a flange 47 This neck and flange are received in asleeve48 projecting from the cap, the edge 49 of the sleeve being flanged orcrimped over to engage the flange 47 of the nut. The nut may thus swivelupon the cap but the two parts cannot be separated. Forsecurmg the bolt38 to the cap, the stem of the bolt is preferably provided withalongitudinal slot 50 which receives the end of a screw. 51

which is inserted in a screw-threaded-hole in the bolt 38and, preventsthe same from being entirely unscrewed from the nut 45. To apply thelocking clamp to the rim, the T- headed bolt is screwed out ,to theposition shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, when the T-head of the bolt can beinserted into the recesses 35, 36, as shown'in' Fig. 8. The nut 45 isthen screwed up, drawing the lugs 30 down and cap 42 up, and wedging theends of the split flange together, the parts finally assuming theposition shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 11 also shows the clamp screwedup as in Figs. 9 and 10.

The outer wall of the cap 42 is preferably extended upward, as indicatedby the "numeral 52 in Fig. 6, this extension serving to fill the gap inthe outer wall of the channel formed by the notch in the rim, and thusgive the rim a smooth appearance and prevent the entrance of dirt intothe joint. This is clearly illustrated-in Fig. 1;

As is shown in Figs. 6 and 11, the clamp is preferably provided withatriangula'r lug ac I act as a means for drawing the cap 42 away.

from-the lugs 30 when the flange is to be removedfrom the rim. Suchdrawing action is usually amply suflicient .to breakany rust which mayhave formed between the cap and the lugs 30. It is usually advisable,

however, to form in the extension 52 a small notch 54 in which the endof atool may be inserted for the'purpose of prying the cap '42 away fromthe lugs 30 in case it has rusted fast thereto.

-. It will be seen from the foregoing description of my invention that Ihave provided a rim having a removable flange, whichmay be locked firmlyand solidly in position.

The lock is neat in appearance, verystrong,

and may be very readily manipulated, as

all of the parts of the same, are secured to-,

- of the rim.

lVhile I have shown in the drawings and specifically described a certainpreferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I donot intend to limit myself to the details illustrated, but that myinvention is capable of modification and'of being embodied in otherstructures.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A vehicle wheel rim comprising a rim base, a split detachable'flangehaving lugs projecting from the ends thereof and a looking clamp forsecuring said ends together, said clamp comprising a clamping memberadapted to engage said lugs, a bolt having a head engaging the ends ofthe flange, and a stem extending through an opening, in said clampingmember, and a nut screwing on said stem, said nut, clamping member andbolt being permanently secured together.

2. A vehicle wheel rim comprising a rim base, a detachable transverselysplit flange mounted thereon, and means for clamping the ends of saidsplit flange together, said means comprising a clamping member, a boltengaging the ends of the flange, having 'a stem passing through anopening in said clamping member, a nut swiveled to said clamping memberand engaging said stem,

and means for preventing said bolt from be-,

coming entirely unscrewed from said nut.

3. A securing device for a split tire retaining flange, comprising lugsdepending from said flange adjacent to the ends thereof, extensionsformed on said lugs, a cap member having an opening therethrough adaptedto inclose and embrace said lugs, a

bolt having its head adapted to engage saidextensions and its stemadapted to project outwardly'through said opening in said cap, and a nutswiveled to said cap and adapted to be turned upon said bolt to forcesaid cap and lugs into snug engagement.

4. A securing device for a split tire retaining flange, comprising lugsdepending from said. flange adjacent to the ends thereof, extensionsformed on said lugs, a cap member having an opening therethrough adaptedto inclose and embrace said lugs, a bolt having its head adapted toengage said extensions and its stem adapted to project outwardly throughsaid opening in said cap. and a nut swiveled to said cap and adapted tobe turned upon said bolt to force said cap and lugs 'into snugengagement, and means for limiting the movement of said bolt withrelation to said cap.

5. A securing device for a split tire totaining flange, comprising lugsdepending from said flange adjacent to the endsthereof, extensionsformed on said lugs, a cap member having an opening therethrough adaptedto inclose and embrace said lugs,

a bolt having its head adapted to engage said extensions and its stemadapted to project outwardly through said opening in said cap, and a nutswiveled to said cap and I adapted to be turned upon said bolt to forcesaid cap and lugs into snug engagement, said bolt having a longitudinalslot formed therein throughout a part of its length, and a screw carriedby said cap, the end of said screw entering said slot.

6. A locking device for engaging the ends of a split. tire retainingflange provided with recessed lugs, comprising a cup-shaped cap memberhaving a hole through the bottom thereof, a nut swiveled to said capmember in alinement with said hole, a T- headed bolt passing-throughsaid hole and screwing into said nut, the stem of said bolt beinglongitudinally slotted for a portion of its length, and a projectioncarried by said cap and entering the slot in the bolt, the engagementbetween said projection and slot preventing rotary movement of said boltand limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

8. A vehicle wheel rim comprising a rim base having a channel formed atone side thereof, a transversely split tire retaining flange having aportion adapted to seat in said channel, the bottom of said channelbeing recessed at one point, lugs depending from the ends of said splitflange projecting through the recess in the bottom of said channel, saidlugs having inclined outer end walls and recessed adjacent walls, and

a locking clamp for securing said split flange in position, said clampcomprising a cup-shaped cap member having inclined end walls adapted toengage the inclined end walls of said lugs, said cap member having a ahole in the bottom thereof and a nut permanently swiveled thereto inline with said hole, and a T-headed bolt the head of which is receivedin the recesses in said lugs, the

stem of said bolt passing through the hole in said cap member and beingengaged by said nut, the stem of said bolt having a longitudinal slottherein extending throughout a part of the length of said stem, and ascrew carried by said cap member, the end of said screw entering saidslot and holding said bolt against rotary movement and limiting thelongitudinal movement of said bolt with relation to the cap member.

9. A Vehicle wheel rim comprising a rim base having a channel formed atone sid'e thereof, and a transversely split reversible tire-retainingflange, said flange having a base adapted to be received in saidchannel, said flange having a clencher groove formed in one sidethereof, the other side thereof being formed to engage a straight-sidedtire and having a groove formed therein above the base of the flange,but below that portion of the flange adapted to engage the side of thetire.

10. A transversely split reversible tireretaining flange for vehicleWheel rims comprising a base and a tire-retaining portion, said portionhaving a clencher groove formed in one side thereof, the other sidebeing formed to engage a straight-sided tire andhaving a'groove formedtherein above the base of the flange but below that portion of theflange adapted to engage the side of the tire, said last-named groovebeing independent of portions of said flange adapted to coact with saidrim.

11. A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures having an annulardepression rolled therein, and an endless metallic hoop shrunk inposition over said recess to provide a substantially flush tire-seatingsurface, the edges of said hoop being let into shallow recesses in thetire-seating surface of the rim.

12. A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures comprising a rimbase having an annular depression rolled therein near one edge thereof,the portion of said rim base at the side of said depression beingcarried outward and upward to form the bot tom and outer Wall of achannel, and a metallic hoop of angular cross-section shrunk upon saidrim base over the depression therein, one leg of said hoop covering saiddepression and forming a flush tire-seating surface, the other leg ofsaid hoop forming the inner wall of said channel, and a tire-retainingflange having a portion adapted to be seated in said channel.

13. A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures, having anannular depression rolled therein, and a metal hoop of angularcross-section extending from side to side of said depressionandproviding a substantially flush seating surface for the tire.

14:. A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures having anannular depression rolled therein, an endless metallic hoop of angularcross-section shrunk in position over said depression, one leg of saidhoop covering said depression and forming a flush tire-seating surface,the other leg of said hoop forming the inner wall of aflangeseatingchannel partially formed by an extension of said rim, and atire-retaining flange having a portion adapted to seat in said channel.

15. A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures comprising a rimbase having annular depressions rolled therein near the edges thereof,and metal hoops bridging said depressions and providing substantiallyflush tire-seating surfaces, the portion of said rim base at one side ofone of said depressions being carried outward and upward to form thebottom and outer walls of a channel, the other wall of said channelbeing formed by an inwardly turned leg upon the hoop bridging saiddepression, and a tire-retaining flange having a portion adapted to beseated in said channel.

16. A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures having annulardepressions rolled therein adjacent the edges thereof, said depressionsserving as engaging means to retain the rim in place upon a vehiclewheel, and endless metallic hoops therefor providing a substantiallyequal seating surface for the tire, one of said hoops extending fromside to side on one of said depressions.

17 A tire-carrying rim for demountable rim structures comprising a rimbase having an annular depression rolled therein near one edge thereof,said depression forming a portion of an annular flange retainingchannel, an endless metallic hoop having a por tion completing saidchannel and extending across to the opposite side of said depression toform a flush seating surface for the tire, and a tire-retaining flangehaving a portion seating in said channel.

JAMES H. WAGENHORST.

Witnesses:

SEWARD DAVIS, EDMUND QUINCY MosEs.

